Dispensing container



Sept 1967 s. K. PEREDY 3,342,377

DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed April 7, 1966 INVENTOR.

STEPHEN K. PEREDY mma/7 ,5;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,342,377 DISPENSING CONTAINER Stephen K.Peredy, Burlington, Mass, assignor to Hewlett- Paclrartl Company, acorporation of California Filed Apr. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 541,013 7 Claims.(Cl. 222-94) This invention relates to a dispensing container forpressure-propelled products and, more particularly, to containers inwhich the propellant is separated from the product to be dispensed bymeans of a flexible barrier.

It is known to pressure propel various products from valved containers.Generally the propellant, e.g., halogenated lower molecular weighthydrocarbons, such as the Frecns or other suitable propellant material,of which there are many known varieties, is in contact or admixed withthe product. Alternatively, a pressurized gas may be applied as thepropellent from an external source. Whatever the propellant employed,there are certain products which may be intended for internalconsumption or application such as toothpaste, foods, edible products,and the like. In these cases it is considered desirable and oftenessential to package the product without having it contact thepropellant.

Many techniques and apparatus have been designated in the prior art forachieving this end. Most have used a flexible bag or container toseparate the product from the propellant. One such dispensing containeris described, for example, in US. Patent No. 2,889,078 issued June 2,1959 to Ralph Henry Thomas. Another is described in US. Patent No.2,953,304 issued Sept., 20, 1960 to Burton Sellinger. Although these andother containers available or known in the prior art are quitesatisfactory, they have one general drawback. They often use bags whichare unable to fully and completely collapse so as to completely expel]all the contents of the bag. Quite often the bag wfll collapse in such amanner under the influence of the propellent gas as to choke-off aportion of the material in the bag. This action is referred to asislanding.

Another disadvantage of prior art pressure containers is that they oftentend to limit the capacitiy of the material that can be carried.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to obviate many of thedisadvantages of the hereinbefore described prior art pressurecontainers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved containerhaving a separate sealed compartment for the material to be dispensedand a separate sealed compartment for the medium used as the expellingagent, the two compartments being separated by a novel bag.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an improvedpressure container having an outer rigid container which encloses a flatflexible bag having two mating sides sealed at their periphery toprovide a heavier and, therefore, less flexible seam which controls thecollapsing of the bag toward the middle where the material is beingdischarged.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the dispensing container isconstructed to have a hollow rigid outer body member having a top memberjoined thereto. The top member has a discharge opening therein in whicha suitable obturator means normally seals the discharge opening. A flat,flexible, pressure-deformable bag, having first and second mating sidewalls continuously joined together at their periphery, is placed withinthe body member. A peripheral opening in the bag at the seam,communicating with the valve means, forms (1) a valve-d chamber with thevalve and (2) a sealed chamber with the "body member. This constructionfacilitates the complete evacuation of the valved chamber when thepressure of the sealed chamber is increased as by a suitable 3,342,377Patented Sept. 19, 1967 gas or propellent whcih may be introducedtherein by known means.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this inventionare set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention,itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, aswell as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best beunderstood from the following description when read in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an illustration of one form of the dispensing container,shown with a fragmentary section, constructed in accordance with thisinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the flat, flexible bag having a :qontinuousperipheral seam for use in the container of FIGURE 3 is a side view ofthe bag illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view of the valve and be used in the container of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 5 is an illustration of another dispensing container constructedin accordance with an alternative embodiment of this invention in whichthe propellent is introduced from an external source; and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section view of the aerosol valve 18 illustrated inFIG. 1.

As may be seen in the drawing, the dispensing contamer comprises a rigidhollow cylindrical casing or can 10 having an opening at one end,illustrated as the top in the drawing. This opening is covered by adisc-shaped top member 12 which is hermetically sealed to the bodymember 10 as by a suitable S-seal of known type. The bottom portion (inthe drawing) of the can 10 is also closed by a disc-shaped bottom member14 and hermetically sealed in a manner similar to the top portion. Ifdesired, of course, the can 10 may be formed having only the top portionopen. An opening 13 may be provided in the bottom member 14 to permitthe introduction of a suitable propellent gas. This opening 13 may beclosed in accordance with known techniques by a plug constructed ofrubber, plastic or other suitable material. The top member 12 also has adischarge valve stem 16 at the top thereof which is adapted to be closedby a suitable closure or valve 18 of known design. One valve of suitabledesign that may be used in conjunction with this can is the well-knownSchrader S63 valve which is available from Scovill ManufacturingCompany, Inc., Brooklyn, New York. Other valves are available from manyother manufacturers such as Eaton Manufacturing Company of Cleveland,Ohio.

The details of the typical Schrader S63 valve that may be used with thisinvention is shown in FIG. 6. The valve comprises the top member 12which is sealed to the body member 10 as described. The valve itselfincludes the discharge opening or orifice 16 to which is press fitted asuitable nozzle 62. The discharge valve stem 16 has cuplike flange 65formed at end thereof and dip tube that may is adapted to sealinglyengage a suitable resilient washer 63 against the top member 12. Aspring 64 urges the cuplike flange against the washer and is itselfpositioned within a cuplike housing 67 which is force-fitted into arecess 66 in the top member 12. The bottom portion of the housing 66contains a short piece of conduit which for-ms the nipple 25 to whichthe dip tube 24 (FIG. 4) is force-fitted.

In accordance wit-h the invention, a flat flexible pressure-deformablebag 17 is constructed, as seen in FIG- URES 2 and 3, to have first andsecond mating side walls 19 which are continuously joined together attheir periphery so as to provide a relatively heavy, less-compliantperipheral seam. The peripheral seam is interrupted only by a tubularmember 20 which is introduced through the seam at the top portion of thebag 17 and sealed. The dimensions of the bag 17 are chosen so that thebag will be restricted by the container and thereby not stretched underthe filling pressure. The bag 17, itself, may be constructed of anysuitable plastic material which is generally impervious to thepropellant. In some instances some degree of perviousness may bepermitted particularly Where it is not necessary to separate completelythe product to be dispensed from the propellent material.

In general, any polymer film may be used for the bag 17 although othersuitable plastics such as polyethylene and the halogenated analogues,polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylydene chloride, and chlorinated rubber alsomay be employed. Thermoplastics are particularly preferred since theypermit the side walls 19 to be heat sealed using known techniques.

One plastic material that is suitable for use in constructing the bag 17is a product known under the trade name Mylar made and distributed by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Another suitable plastic material forconstructing the bag is sold under the trade name Capran by the AlliedChemical Corporation.

A dip tube 24, which is hollow and adapted to fit over the end of anipple 25 at the bottom portion of the valve 18, is fitted on the valvenipple 25 and introduced into the bag 17 through the tubular member 20in a tight or press fit. The pressure of the propellant aids in theseal. In the alternative an adhesive bonded seal may be employed. In apreferred embodiment of the invention, a peripheral groove 23 is formedin the upper portion of the dip tube 24 and the length of the tubularmember 20 is selected to be the same as the width of the groove 23. Thisimproves the seal between the bag 17 and dip tube 24.

The dip tube 24, itself, may be constructed to have longitudinal groovesalong the length of its outer peripheral surface and a radial hole 27immediately adjacent the valve to facilitate the discharge of thematerial through the valve 18 from the bag 17. The grooving is notnecessary to the invention but does provide improved results. The diptube 24 may be constructed of any suitable material such as one of thethermoplastics sold under the trade name polyethylene, or polyamidessold under the trade name nylon, or polytetrafiuoroethylenes sold underthe trade name Teflon.

In the manufacture of the dispensing container of this invention, thevalve mechanism 18 and dip tube 24 are assembled onto the top member 12.The dip tube thus assembled is then inserted or press fitted into thepro-manufactured bag 17 through the compliant tubular member 20 in thebag. With the valve assembly and bag 17 thus assembled, they are readyto insert into the container 10 with the bottom. member 14 attached, andthe top member 12 sealed to the container 10 with an S-seal in a knownmanner. Through the bottom opening 13 of the container 10, the properamount of propellant is introduced. This provides pressure outside thebag 17. The bottom cover is sealed as described.

A particular advantage of this invention is that substantially all ofthe material in bag 17 is expelled by the propellant. As the material isdispensed, the distended bag begins to collapse toward the dip tube 24and away from the wall of the container in a manner quite similar tothat in which toothpaste is expelled from a tube under pressure of thehand. The tendency to collapse at the peripheral portion is the resultof the invention wherein the heavier, less-flexible peripheral seam ofthe bag 17 controls its collapse towards the middle. The dip tube 24itself resists a complete collapse of the bag in the middle and,therefore, permits a steady flow of the material through the openingprovided in the dip tube 24. This facilitates a substantially completeevacuation of all material in the bag.

In FIGURE an alternative embodiment of this invention is illustrated inwhich a dispensing container of similar construction to that shown inFIGS. 14 is employed. The primary diflerence between the two embodimentsis that the container illustrated in FIG. 5 is adapted to be pressurizedfrom an external supply of gas 33 through axial holes 30 provided in anend cap 32 of the container. An air line 35 may be permanently attachedto the holes 30 in cap 32 or, to facilitate its removability, the can 10and its end cap 32 may be pressed and suitably clamped against apressurized annular face seal (not shown). Instead of using aconventional aerosol type valve to control the expulsion of the contentsof the bag 17, a suitable septum 34 is provided so that a hypodermicneedle may be injected therethrough to permit the extraction of thepressurized material within the bag 17.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 high pressures are normally not employed asin the embodiment of FIG. 1. Accordingly, it is permissible here to usethe normal screwtype end cap 32 which fits over the open threaded end ofthe can 10. A resilient, cylindrical plug 42, having an axial bore 44which positions the dip tube 24 and the ink bag 17, is placed in theopen end of can 10. The plug may be formed or molded of the same plasticmaterial as the dip tube. The plug 42 has a flanged peripheral groove 23at its lower end (in the drawing) which is inserted through thecomplaint tube 20 in the ink bag 17 in the same manner as described inconjunction with FIG. 1. The bore 44 has a counterbore 46 adapted toreceive the septum 34 and a second counter bore 47 to receive the diptube 24. The dip tube 24 is press fit into the counter bore 47. Theseptum is easily removed for refilling the bag. Additional eccentricaxial bores 48 are formed in the plug 42 to facilitate the passage ofpressurized air or other fluid to the annular pressurized chamberbetween the bag 17 and the can 10. A flange 50 on the upper portion ofthe plug 42 permits a seal between the can 10 and the end cap 32 whenthe cap is suitably tightened. The thickness of the flange 50 permits anannular conduit between the end cap 32 and the eccentric holes or bores48 for the passage of the pressurized air or other fluid.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 has particular application to dispensing inkand other fluid material in which externally pressurized air, forexample, is applied through the holes 30 to cause the expulsion of inkthrough a hypodermic needle (not shown) which may be inserted throughthe septum.

This has the particular advantage that the container may be withdrawnfrom the hypodermic needle at any time so as to readily change the inksupply when exhausted or when a different color ink, for example, isdesired.

It will be obvious that various modifications may be made in theapparatus and in the manner of operating it. It is intended to coversuch modifications and changes as would occur to those skilled in theart, as far as the following claims permit and as far as consistent withthe state of the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing container for pressure propelled products comprising:

a hollow rigid outer body member having first and second ends,

a discharge opening in said first end,

a passageway extending inwardly from the discharge opening andterminating in an inwardly extending nipple,

an obturator means sealing said discharge opening,

a flat, flexible, pressure-deformable bag having first and second matingside walls continuously joined together at their peripheries, thereby toform a seam having less flexibility than said side walls, and having adischarge opening and a tubular element in said bag discharge opening,

conduit means connected to said nipple, said bag being connected by saidtubular element to said nipple, said conduit means extending into saidbag when said bag is connected to said nipple, said bag and saidcontainer providing a product chamber in the bag and an annular chamberoutside the bag whereby to facilitate the complete evacuation of saidproduct chamber when said annular chamber is pressurized and saidobturating means is opened.

2. The dispensing container set forth in claim 1 wherein said bag is athermoplastic.

3. The dispensing container set forth in claim 2 wherein said seam isheat sealed.

4. The dispensing container set forth in claim 1 wherein said obturatormeans is a normally closed valve.

5. The dispensing container set forth in claim 1 wherein said conduitmeans comprises a tube having axial grooves on its outer periphery and aradial tube wall opening thereby to facilitate egress from said bag tosaid tubes.

6. The dispensing container set forth in claim 1 wherein said first endincludes additional conduit means for introducing fluid under pressureinto said annular chamber.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,165 8/1933 Andvig 239309 X 2,139,097 12/1938Piquerez 222-82 2,655,407 10/ 1953 Ingell.

2,671,578 3/1954 McBean 222386.5 X 2,823,953 2/1958 McGeorge 239323 X2,937,791 5/1960 Micallef 222--95 2,962,192 11/ 1960 Volckening 222541 X3,089,624 5/1963 Micallef 222386.5 3,171,571 3/1965 Daniels 222-943,257,036 6/1966 Micallef 22295 3,300,102 1/1967 Budzich 222-3865RALPHAEL M. LUPO, Primlary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,342,377 September 19, 1967 Stephen K. Peredy It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 25, for "designated" read designed line 36, for "expell"read expel line 41, for "capacitiy" read capacity column 2, line 54, for"orifice" read valve stem column 4, line 26, for "complaint" readcompliant Signed and sealed this 1st day of October 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer

1. A DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR PRESSURE PROPELLED PRODUCTS COMPRISING: AHOLLOW RIGID OUTER BODY MEMBER HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENDS, A DISCHARGEOPENING IN SAID FIRST END, A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THEDISCHARGE OPENING AND TERMINATING IN AN INWARDLY EXTENDING NIPPLE, ANOBTURATOR MEANS SEALING SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, A FLAT, FLEXIBLE,PRESSURE-DEFORMABLE BAG HAVING FIRST AND SECOND MATING SIDE WALLSCONTINUOUSLY JOINED TOGETHER AT THEIR PERIPHERIES, THEREBY TO FORM ASEAM HAVING LESS FLEXIBILITY THAN SAID SIDE WALLS, AND HAVING ADISCHARGE OPENING AND A TUBULAR ELEMENT IN SAID BAG DISCHARGE OPENING,CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID NIPPLE, SAID BAG BEING CONNECTED BY SAIDTUBULAR ELEMENT TO SAID NIPPLE, SAID CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING INTO SAIDBAG WHEN SAID BAG IS CONNECTED TO SAID NIPPLE, SAID BAG AND SAIDCONTAINER PROVIDING A PRODUCT CHAMBER IN THE BAG AND AN ANNULAR CHAMBEROUTSIDE THE BAG WHEREBY TO FACILITATE THE COMPLETE EVACUATION OF SAIDPRODUCT CHAMBER WHEN SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER IS PRESSURIZED AND SAIDOBTURATING MEANS IS OPENED.